This photo reminds me of images of burned out villages during WWII Europe...

I can't begin to imagine how terrified those folks were when Maria was bearing down. I have no idea how much more was destroyed after Maria passed. I'd think that anything still standing after Irma was at risk.

Just look how close Maria was to making a direct hit on the U.S. Virgin Island's as a Cat 5!!

The Outsider wrote:Good idea. Also, for those who can afford it for the future. Get a 500 gallon propane tank installed. Not only can you hook a sizeable backup generator up to it, you can also run a line to your grill or even to your kitchen for a gas range (far superior to infrared garbage). Also, not only is propane convenient and versatile it is also the superior grilling format. Cleaner than charcoal and much more efficient.

That's actually whay I have. 250 gallon propane tank buried in my yard, a 15kw standby generator that powers my A.C. and basically whole house, and range/stove and water heater on propane. You hope you never have to use it but it's pretty awesome right now.

Just got the bill for my propane service...****! My power was out for a week. Used the generator for probably 80-100 hours...I was trying to conserve fuel and stayed at my mom's and sister's houses one night each. Also, shut it off for a few hours at a time here and there. 141 gallons used. Bill was $700.

deltbucs wrote:That's actually whay I have. 250 gallon propane tank buried in my yard, a 15kw standby generator that powers my A.C. and basically whole house, and range/stove and water heater on propane. You hope you never have to use it but it's pretty awesome right now.

Just got the bill for my propane service...****! My power was out for a week. Used the generator for probably 80-100 hours...I was trying to conserve fuel and stayed at my mom's and sister's houses one night each. Also, shut it off for a few hours at a time here and there. 141 gallons used. Bill was $700.

Not too much more expensive than staying in a hotel a few nights and you saved your food and mildew damage to your home by running the generator.

I was out for 5 days and my place still smells like mildew, not to mention the fact that I had to throw out ~10 lbs of Walleye and 20 lbs of venison. I'd have rather spent the 700 bucks.

Buc2 wrote:Alpha is right. The VI's seem to be an afterthought or not thought of at all.

Don't act so ****ing surprised. I'm right a lot.

And in the VI, we don't get "terrified". It's expected.

Read posts from locals. They're pissed because of the corrupt government. It's EXPECTED that there will be no power for MONTHS. We can live with that. We live with power outages on (nearly) a daily basis. It's taken for granted, in the 1st World, that you flip on a light switch whenever you want...and the light comes on. Most places in the world? That isn't the case.

For example, St. Croix, where I live(d), is under 24 hour curfew. The genius governor there (Mapp), decided to lift the curfew for 4 HOURS yesterday, for people to get what they can. And on your map...we can see Vieques on a clear day. That's how close we were to Maria.

What could possibly go wrong with that ingenious idea?

It's ****ing CHAOS. You can find pictures and video, if you like. 40,000 people have 4 hours to try and get what's available. BRILLIANT.

The one GUARANTEE, is that the senators from the VI will either (a) Get power first or (b) Will be able to leave for the states before the airport is open to "non-essential personnel". That's a LOCK.

And the map of "no vegetation"? By next winter, it will be green again. And there will STILL be people without electricity.

Indeed. It's October so the favorable tropical cyclone track is generally to head towards the north and then turn northeast towards Florida. The GFS and CMC favor landfall between New Orleans and the Alabama/Mississippi coast. The Euro and Unmet push it east making landfall around the Florida Panhandle. Generally the models develop it weak (TS or minimal hurricane) but these are some of the most conductive waters in the world. Rapid intensification into a major is a possibility.